This invention relates to an integrated semiconductor outline package and refers particularly, but not exclusively, to a transistor outline package for connection between a printed circuit board (PCB) and a bus bar of a control module of an automobile.
Electrical power distribution systems for automobiles, typically include a control module that provides centralized control of the electronic components of the automobile. A conventional control module includes a junction box, which is commonly referred to as a smart junction box. The junction box includes a housing that contains one or more layers of PCBs, which support semiconductor integrated devices. The control module also includes module connectors to provide electrical connections between the control module and the electronic components of the automobile.
Some of the devices mounted on the PCBs of the control module generate significant amounts of heat. Such devices are generally provided in transistor outline (TO) packages so as to provide heat dissipation and there is an increasing demand for TO packages which provide high levels of heat dissipation.
The United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) maintains strict requirements for the mounting of TO packages on a PCB in such control modules, such as limitations on terminal (pin) thickness and width, as well as pin to pin pitch and pin row to pin row pitch, which place restrictions on the leadframe design of TO packages.